Episode 2 is a little better than the pilot. The ship looks like the ship, and we get all our characters. Sulu is a helmsman, Scotty is in red. It's not perfect as Uhura is in gold and Leonard Nimoy is still working out the kinks in Spock. Though we do get our first "Fascinating". And while we have McCoy his arguments with Spock haven't started yet. Let's talk about....
Plot:The Enterprise encounters a massive starship threatening to destroy them
Guest Stars:Anthony Cak as Dave Bailey and a young Clint Howard as Balok
Nitpick:The pacing is still slow, like a lot of early episode's. I love how we see the crowded corridors on the ship, it really illustrates the budget cuts in season 3 where we had lots of empty corridors. Dave Bailey is a horrible character, what a...well, a bad word I don't want to use here. But he is. They make it clear Kirk nay have promoted him to fast but still, he acts like a first year cadet! Finally, why does Uhura look utterly bored in the episode?
Summary:
Teaser-So nice to feel like Trek. Anyway, we begin with Enterprise coming into contact with something they can't identify. Which blocks there path. I know, riveting opening!
Act 1-Kirk is in sick-bay having a physical done when he notices the alert signal. McCoy is on point from the first minute he appeared, DeForest Kelly nails it and is such a relief. After a captain's log recapping what we have already seen, which was so much, Kirk arrives on the Bridge. He does the same "department heads on the bridge" stupidity we saw in "Where no Man" but this time it feels more natural. The crew spend trying to guess what the object could be. The ship tries to get away from the thing but nothing works.
Act 2-While the ship holds until they can figure out what to do next, Kirk tells Bailey to work on simulated attacks because he froze at the phaser control. McCoy tells Kirk he may be pushing Bailey to hard and he isn't ready. In his quarters we learn Kirk has a female yeoman when we meet Yeoman Rand when she brings him dinner. And what an inconvenience a female yeoman is (oh, 1966). A larger object appears, a huge vessel that dwarfs the Enterprise. An alien voice from the First Federation declares that since The Enterprise ignired and destroyed their warning buoy they will be destroyed. While Bailey wets himself, Spock is able to get a visual of the bizarre alien. Bailey finally flips out and is relieved.
Act 3-As time continues to grow short, the crew discuss what options they may have left. McCoy then picks an awful time to aggravate Kirk about Bailey, which leads to Kirk coming up with an idea. He opens hailing frequencies and bluff's Balok with a story about how destroying them will destroy the attacker due to a secret weapon called Corbomite. The bluff works and the 10 minutes pass without incident. Bailey returns to the Bridge and asks to resume his position. Balok decides to delay the destruction and take them to a strange planet.
Act 4-The Enterprise gets away from Balok (which takes forever in the episode and includes stupid shots of the crew being tossed around the halls). The attempt seems to damage the vessel so Kirk beams over with McCoy and Bailey to check it. Inside the alien vessel, they find the Balok they saw was a puppet. The real Balok a harmless alien who happily welcomes Kirk and his crew. Kirk suggests a represetantive stay with Balok and teach them, and Bailey volunteers.
Final Thoughts:This episode is remembered for the classic Kirk bluff but a lof of the episode is just padding. Lots of reaction shots at what is happening on the screen. Were they practicing for The Motion Picture? There was an attempt to expand Spock's backstory but it's weak. But for a second episode, it's not thst bad as they were still finding there footing.
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